LA Councilwoman Raman rages as homeless camp hits her block
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman faces criticism for saying she's glad her children didn't see a homeless encampment protest at her home despite defending similar camps near schools citywide.
Nithya Raman, a Democratic Socialist candidate in the Los Angeles mayoral race, made the revealing comments during an appearance on comedian Adam Conover’s podcast released Wednesday, according to New York Post.
I’m glad my kids didn’t have to see that, Raman told Conover, referring to a Memorial Day demonstration staged outside her Silver Lake-area residence. She added that she had anticipated the mayoral campaign would focus on bike lanes and transportation rather than such confrontations.
The Memorial Day stunt featured individuals emerging from tents, setting up an outdoor barbecue, and one person carrying a bucket around the area as neighbors filmed the scene. The demonstration was designed to mirror the homeless encampments that have proliferated throughout Los Angeles neighborhoods.
Years of Defending Encampments Near Schools
The podcast episode ignited intense backlash across social media platforms, with critics highlighting the stark contradiction between Raman’s concern for her own children and her track record of opposing enforcement measures against encampments near schools, playgrounds, and residential areas.
One widely circulated comment captured the sentiment: when it involves her own children, Raman suddenly cares about encampment locations, but when it concerns other people’s kids near schools and parks, she votes to maintain the tents.
Another critic described Raman’s reaction as a direct insult to residents who confront encampments outside their homes daily. Multiple parents responded online that their children encounter such scenes every single day on the route to school.
Booed at Community Meeting
The controversy has particular resonance because Raman has consistently opposed expanding Los Angeles’ anti-camping ordinance, which would restrict homeless encampments in proximity to schools, daycare facilities, parks, and libraries.
At a 2024 Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association debate, Raman faced loud jeers from the audience after dismissing parental concerns about encampments near children. She told the crowd that she didn’t believe a child would be any safer whether positioned 10 feet or 500 feet from a school — a statement that provoked immediate boos from attendees.
Social media users mocked that very statement in response to the podcast, with one viral comment asking sarcastically whether 5 feet or 500 feet matters to Raman now.
Disconnect on Voter Priorities
Raman’s podcast remark that she expected the mayoral contest to center on bike lanes and transportation has drawn additional criticism, as polling data consistently demonstrates that Los Angeles voters rank homelessness, crime, and public safety as far more pressing concerns than infrastructure preferences.
One commenter described the staged protest as potentially the stunt of the year, while others called it savage. Another wrote that despite being a wealthy nation with substantial tax revenue, America increasingly resembles a third-world country in its urban conditions.
Raman’s office has not yet responded to requests for comment on the controversy.
With information from New York Post
